Articulture has issued an apology to some of the tattoo shops in Fort Myers that became offended at the recent radio commercial put out by Southern Florida’s premier tattoo shop. In the commercial, consumers were warned of unprofessional and inferior tattoo artists in the area. The reason for the radio spot was not to belittle or slander any particular business, but to bring to the attention of tattoo shop owners the fact that some of their artists were not looking out for the best interest of the customers and the industry reputation.
Articulture Founder, John Improta, explained that since opening the shop in Fort Myers, he has seen a lot of poor work being produced by some of the local artists. He said that not only did the tattoos lack creativity and style, but were applied using inferior methods, using no blending or shading. He added that this type of second-rate bodywork and lack of attention to details also leads to a danger of infection to the customers. These are things that Improta feels should just be automatic … part of a shop’s standard operating procedure.
Another thing that Improta claims is that many of these artists are applying tattoos on people that should be turned away. People who don’t know what they are doing, or who are completely naïve to the permanency of the procedure, should be turned away and given time to consider their decision. For instance, a young girl who comes into the shop on a whim, wanting the majority of her body covered in black ink, should not be serviced on that date. The body artist has a responsibility to sit with her and review the ramifications of what she is about to do. Improta emphasizes the importance of tattoo shops acting in a manner that will most benefit the client and the industry, not what will make the shop a quick dollar.
Improta takes great measures to assure that the tattoo artists employed by him are amongst the best in the nation, and feels like all tattoo establishments should follow suit. He believes many of the shops in the Fort Myers area should raise the qualification standards of their artists by providing better training and extensive critiquing of their work before allowing them to move forward as a fully qualified tattoo artist. He states that just passing the licensing test should not qualify anyone to start work immediately unless there has been a successful apprenticeship and a proof of abilities to the shop owners.
Articulture is a good example of what a tattoo shop should provide its customers. They are the only tattoo shop in Fort Myers that is accredited by the Better Business Bureau, and they place customer service as top priority. The skilled artists at Articulture will sit with a client and help create a design for them that will put a smile on his or her face. Articulture knows that by looking out for the safety and satisfaction of the customers, they are paying tribute to the entire tattoo industry. What others may consider “raising the bar,” Articulture considers the norm.
